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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · sharp · toast · cue · wave · ground · pop · branch

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. branch — a division
  4. firm — a company
  5. toast — bread
  6. firm — decided
  7. ground — a position
  8. pop — soda
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — music
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. cue — a signal
  14. ground — the earth
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. firm — steady
  19. ground — crushed
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. cue — for pool
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. sharp — clever

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com